Qualification for Russia 2018 has so far seen 209 countries fight it out over 620 matches, with 31 places at the tournament up for grabs.

Two teams have already qualified — five-time champions Brazil and Russia, who make it automatically as hosts.

Sportsmail takes a look at which players and their respective teams look like booking their places in world football's most prestigious tournament.

EUROPEAN - 54 TEAMS COMPETING FOR 13 PLACES

Arjen Robben is in danger of never playing at another World Cup, with Holland up against it in Group A.

Ahead of a qualifier against Luxembourg (they also play Ivory Coast in a friendly on Sunday evening) they are fourth, behind France, Sweden and Bulgaria. Robben, the Dutch captain, is 33.

Leaders France — six points ahead of Holland — look in fine form, with striker Olivier Giroud scoring a hat-trick in a 5-0 thrashing of Paraguay in a friendly on Friday night. They face second-placed Sweden this Friday.

Arjen Robben may never play at another World Cup, with Holland struggling in Group A

AFRICA - 54 TEAMS COMPETING FOR FIVE PLACES

Wilfried Zaha remains on course to appear at the World Cup, with Ivory Coast able to close in on qualification with victory over Gabon in August.

Ivory Coast are top of Group C with two victories from two and will face third-placed Gabon, who have drawn both their matches, full of confidence. A good indicator of their strength comes on Sunday when they face Holland in a friendly. Ghana, in third place with just one point from two games, will play bottom-placed Congo in Group E in August.

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ASIAN - 46 COMPETING FOR 4.5 PLACES

Huddersfield Town striker Aaron Mooy could be preparing himself for a place in the World Cup as well as the Premier League, with Australia third in Group B ahead of Thursday’s qualifier against Saudi Arabia.

They are three points adrift of joint leaders Japan and Saudi Arabia, who have 16 points, with the top two qualifying for Russia 2018.

Tottenham’s Son Heung-min remains on course to appear at the finals, with South Korea second in Group A ahead of their match against bottom-placed Qatar on June 13.

NORTH AND CENTRAL AMERICA - 35 TEAMS COMPETING FOR 3.5 PLACES

Bryan Oviedo will pin his hopes of getting over the disappointment of relegation with Sunderland by qualifying for the World Cup when Costa Rica face third-placed Panama in Group A on Friday.

Costa Rica have seven points, two points and one place ahead of their opponents and three points behind leaders Mexico. The top three all qualify for Russia, with the fourth-placed side heading into a play-off.

As it stands, that will be the USA, who play Trinidad and Tobago, bottom of the group on Friday.

Lionel Messi faces needing to win a play-off to reach the World Cup Argentina struggling

SOUTH AMERICA - 10 TEAMS COMPETING FOR 4.5 PLACES

Lionel Messi faces needing to win a play-off to reach the World Cup with his Argentina struggling in fifth place in the table ahead of their next qualifier against Uruguay in August.

Huge rivals Brazil became the first nation to qualify when they beat Paraguay 3-0 in March. The two heavyweight nations clash in a friendly on Friday night. Colombia, Uruguay and Chile are all well-placed to qualify for Russia in second, third and fourth place respectively.

OCEANIA - 11 TEAMS COMPETING FOR 0.5 PLACES

Ipswich Town's Tommy Smith could face Argentina’s Lionel Messi in a showdown to reach the World Cup with New Zealand.

Smith’s side have reached the Oceanic section final, where they will face the winner of Group B — one of Tahiti, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea, who play twice in the space of four days next week.

Should New Zealand win that, they will then face a play-off with the fifth-placed side in the South American group — which is currently Argentina.